The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-08
NEW YORK'S H0STELRIES
THE BARS RELIED ON FOR MOST OF
THE PROFIT.

THE PROFIT.
Bonifaces Not Apt to Grow Rich Even
at SIS a Day Rates - Waters Who
Stoop to a Species Of Blackman to
Obtain a Tip-A New Scheme for
Beating the Hotels.
New York, May 1T seems to a hotel
man from a Western city that man who
has money enough to start hotel in New
York and pay the big rents that rule here is
pretty sure to make a handsome thing out
of it, In measure this is true; but some
disastrous failures in the hotel business have
occurred in New York, and more are liable
10 take place in the future unless the supply
is kept down TO the demand AT present a
serious drawback to the business is the en-
forcement of the excise law, which makes
difference of from $500 to 81, 800 a week in
the income of certain houses. Such mar
vel as a temperance house is almost unknown
in New York and landlords admit that they
could not make living profit without their
bars. There isn't a great margin of profit
nn the food and lodging furnished the or
binary guest at hotel in New York. He
gets room and four elaborate meals day at
The principal hotels for So. A close buyer
could not purchase the food at that figure
He receives as good board as the guest who
nays $50 day for a room, and the margin
IF Drofit on his SIS a iSy is so small that II he
drinks nothing at the hotel bar he isn't con-
sidered the most desirable guest in the world.
Houses which furnish board and room on the
American plan at SO day make even less
money, for to maintain reputation they
have 10 get about as choice food as the
.aIa themselves
Ne a smaller variety of yiandS and
9H pensive service.
ing of service, it may be mentioned
8colorcd waiter is now almost I'M
a New York hotels, the French, Ger
81 Alsatians and Irish having taken their
Tine white waiter of the metropolis,
is more exacting than his colored
lin demanding fees. His methods of
mt, 1T he doesn't get them, are num-
ia irt9emsSs especially in the cafes
coatrsuts. on the European plan,
ne ~. is charged for each item of
"A cass ia point will illustrate: At
TIC leading hotels a guest refused to
"a Matter at each meal The servltor
I6snnerly one of Delmonico's men. The
fNtiered half teaspoonful of milk for
{3# @lks -dinner coffee and the waiter added
e., nfhe bill for it, after which he went
nd gI,inned as he told his fellow
How he had got even with his enemy.
NJ waiter is usually i'll sympathy with
iii <5n waiter, the landlord doesn't court
fttss With his help, and, acomplaint for such
an outrage as that above mentioned usually
brings about little else than a reprimand.
The evil, however, is less prevalent since
ffty-one of the hotel proprietors of the me-
tropolis banded themselves together in the
strongest organization of its kind III the
world. Resistance on the part of the EN-
ployes means a fight against nearly all the
leading hotels of over seventy-five rooms ca
pacity A house must have transient trade
to belong 20 the organization, and only ITS
owner or active member is eligible to mem
bership,
Last week every hotel in the association
received notice that an engineer at one of
the houses had been discharged for drunk
enness This method of procedure is adopt
ed with every employe discharged for gross
Irregularities.
The next mail brought to each house the
description of man who had gone Off with
out paving q board bill of $215. He had
been very particular about having choice
room and expensive meals and wine in his
apartments, but went away leaving In his
quarters limp satchel and note saying
he would pay his bill as soon as he got his
remittance from abroad. The great number
of these hotel beats was the main matter
that called into existence the association
which secured for New York a law making
defrauding q hotel a misdemeanor In
many States it is next to impossible to pun
ish hotel beat, there being no law to reach
his case
New York hotels suffer most from Gus
toners known to them, who have been good
pay, but lost ali their money in dissipation
and 20 away without paying their bills. A
conlparatively new method of beating hotels
is this: A well dressed guest pompously re-
gisters throws down check and orders the
clerk to send for his baggage. He goes to
his room and the clerk reports that the bag
gage cannot be found. The guest gets very
indignant, and the search for his trunks Is re-
newed The next morning, after having
had dinner, a nights lodging and break
fast. theorlest goes away and leaves his CHECK
which tits found represents no baggage
but was procured for the express purpose OF
beating hotels. The New York hotel mer
are now so well organized, however, that
out of the income from $4,000 guests day
they lose less than per cent. OF their profit
by reasons of beats.
Wealthy people on wedding tours, who
pay $40 to $50 day for suite of rooms,
are desirable guests, but Sara Bernhard
and Patti are more choice patrons They
pay from $50 to S75 day for apartments
and S25 day or more meals Belnhard1
has the reputation of being the most easily
pleased of all high priced guests as to hei
meals.
The ELUSIVE landlord who slaps every mal'
guest on the shoulder and invites him out *
drink, has gone out of fashion in the metro
polls So has the high priced, gorgeou
hotel clerk at salary Of 5000 q year. Th'
Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York once paiC
clerk who was popular with all the states
men that price, and the Grand Union a
Saratoga gave clerk 5000 for one sum
mer's work. but the average metropolitan
CLARK orats ohOllt S1E0 a month and his DOar1
and washing. AMOS j. CoMMINGs.
II.
..,a.a 81 i,,da,l.italaIa nlaai1,naa,o II, u,